Obama

We have the remarkable president. He is intelligent, dedicated, interested in people and the well-being of our country, and he is incredibly articulate and coherent when he speaks and fields questions.

Politics is typically about posturing and rhetoric and power. Obama brings something new to the table. He is one of the greatest presidents we have ever had.

I enjoyed listening to his speeches today and to commenting on the internet. Obama is a welcome voice of reasoning and sanity in today's political climate.

Most people want to be left alone and to not be bothered by government, but to have a successful climate where that is possible and people are able to prosper, we need a strong, competitive country. We are losing ground with other countries because of our petty individual greed.

Criminal Minds: Herman Melville:

"Of all the preposterous assumptions of humanity ..., nothing exceeds ... the criticisms made of the habits of the poor by the well-housed, well-warmed, and well-fed."

 Criminal MindsL T. S. Elliot wrote:

"Between the idea and the reality, between the motion and the act, falls the shadow."

Living with the house at 40 degrees is very doable. I wouldn't have believed that was possible before. Like I would never believed I could live month after month without a shower, rarely washing my hair or combing it, and only managing hygiene with towel bathing. I suppose I should have known I could survive this way because people have lived without for centuries, but still I am surprised.

I know my daughter doesn't understand what it is like for me, but the less I spend, the more options I have when choices become limited. Still I am weary of passing the time each day. Doing anything other than lying in bed, typing, takes an enormous amount of will and effort. And when I look, all I see and feel is the sadness.

There is an enormous amount of guilt and shame with being depressed and so anxious I don't want to leave the house for anything, especially during the day.